Refuse container



April 7, 1970 L. R. WEIR 3,504,813

REFUSE CONTAINER Filed July 22, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR LEARNARD R. WEIR M1 MM ATTORNEYS A ril 7, 1970 Filed July 22, 1968 L. R. WEl-R' REFUSE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SOLLE INVENTOR LEARNARD R. WEIR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,504,813 REFUSE CONTAINER Learnard R. Weir, 23 Timrod Way, Greenville, S.C. 29607 Filed July 22, 1968, Ser. No. 746,413 Int. Cl. B65f 3/02; B65d 43/20 US. Cl. 214-302 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a refuse container having a sliding side door for opening the container in an intermediate side portion thereof for reception of refuse which remains closed during dumping without use of springs and hinges avoiding damage to the door during dumping.

A problem has long existed in connection with containers for use with front end loaders in that the doors are often severely damaged and sometimes entirely torn off during the dumping operation. Such doors are normally hinged and provided with latches for closing same. The doors are carried within an opening within an inter mediate portion of each of the side walls so that the container may be accessible for filling all parts thereof fairly uniformly with refuse. Often operators fail to close the doors when dumping, and this results in fouling of the doors by the dumping mechanism associated with the fork arms causing damage to the doors. Since it is desirable that the doors remain closed except when inserting refuse into the container a solution was sought which included the provision of springs normally urging the hinged doors into closed position. These springs did not work in operation for the purpose for which they were provided and then too, it was difficult for an operator to insert refuse while holding the door open against the force of the spring. Other mechanism, such as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 3,049,254, issued Aug. 14, 1962, have sought to solve the problem, but a problem still persists.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a refuse container having sliding doors for closing a central opening in the longitudinal sides thereof so as to avoid damage to the doors during a dumping operation.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a refuse container having doors which stay closed during the dumping operation avoiding the broadcasting of refuse.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a refuse container having closure means for a central opening in the longitudinal sides which will be easy to open and which will stay open during the insertion of refuse into the container.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a closure means for a refuse container which will automatically tend to remain in a closed position during a dumping operation.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevation illustrating a front end loader carrying a refuse container constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlaged perspective view illustrating the refuse container of FIGURE 1 looking toward the rear front corner of the container,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the container as illustrated in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 44 in FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view taken on the line 55 in FIGURE 3.

The drawings illustrate a refuse container for use with a front end loader having a body, a pair of fork arms for engaging the container, and means for raising the fork arms and the container carried thereby to a position above the body and inverting the container to a dumping position. The container has a connection carried by each longitudinal side thereof for receiving the fork arms, doors in the top of the container opening downwardly by gravity when the container is in dumping position, the container having an opening in an intermediate portion of at least one of the sides for inserting refuse therethrough into the container and a marginal side wall portion on each side of said opening. Closure means for the opening include a pair of longitudinally movable doors A for closing the opening when in closed position. A trackway B extending across said container carries the doors for sliding movement. A first stop C is carried by the container adjacent the front end loader and is movable into and out of engagement with a door adjacent thereto for preventing sliding movement of the adjacent door to open position when in such engagement during dumping. A second stop D engages the other door for preventing sliding movement of the other door to open position during dumping. Thus, the doors are maintained closed during dumping avoiding escape of refuse from the container and avoiding damage to the closure means.

The first stop C includes a plunger carried adjacent the trackway B, and resilient means normally urging the plunger into position to engage the adjacent door.

The front end loader schematically illustrated in FIG- URE 1 is the model known as E-Z Pack FL sold by E-Z Pack Company, division of Hercules Galion Products, Inc., Galion, Ohio. The front end loader has a pair of spaced fork arms 10 and 11 for engaging the lift channels 12 and 13, respectively on the container. Means for raising the fork arms and the container carried thereby to a position above the body and inverting the container to a dumping position includes hydraulically operated linkage broadly designated at 14. The front end loader and operating mechanism may 'be of any desired type having a refuse receiving body, fork arms, and operating mechanism for raising the container and then inverting same to dump into the body.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the container is raised as shown in solid line position, keeping it level until just prior to reaching the dumping point as illustrated in broken lines at 15 and dumped as illustrated in dotted lines at. 16. The container is inverted when in dumping position as at 16 and the container is lowered into the body 17 as illustrated. A central opening (not shown) within the top of the body receives the container. The fork arms 10 and 11 are lowered by a reverse procedure to that outlined above, and the lid 18 is closed on the central opening within the body 17.

To make a pickup, the driver aligns the front end loader, facing a front portion of the container and then engages the forks with the lift channels on the container and carries out the procedure outlined above. By reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, it will be observed that the container has a pair of hinged top lids which are normally closed. A relatively short spring-biased lid 19 is provided adjacent the front of the container. The lid is carried by the hinge pin 20 and coil springs 21 normally urge the lid 19 toward closed position. A longer lid 22 is freely hinged as at 23. During dumping the lids 19 and 22 hang open due to gravity as illustrated in FIGURE 1. Since the container is turned in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 1, after dumping preparatory to being lowered, the lid 22 returns to closed position by gravity, whereas, the lid 19 is closed by the springs 21.

It is important that the doors A be closed during dumping as a draft of air moves up between the sides of the container and the body 17 as a result of displacement of air within the body 17 by refuse dumped from the container. The tendency to broadcast refuse would be increased if the doors A covering the side openings were open during dumping by the action of the draft upon refuse escaping from the sides of the container.

The longitudinally movable doors A each include a flat longitudinal portion 24 and an out-turned flange 25 (FIGURES 4 and 5) carried by opposed ends of each of the doors A. The doors are also provided with handles 26.

The trackway B includes a lower trackway portion 27 and an upper trackway portion 28. The lower trackway portion 27 includes a spacing bar 27a and an outer flange 27b. The upper trackway likewise, includes a spacing member 28a and an outer flange 28b. The trackway members are secured in position as by welding (not shown). The upper and lower portions of the doors A are carried within the upper and lower trackways 28 and 27, respectively, for sliding movement in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 3. The doors are adapted to completely close an opening 29 within each of the longitudinal sides 30 of the container. It will be observed by reference to FIGURE 3 that marginal side portions 30a are provided adjacent each of the doors and are of about the same size as each of the doors so that when the the doors are in open position the opening 29 is completely uncovered but the remote edges of the doors do not then project beyond the ends of the container 31. It will be observed that the container has a bottom 32. While the trackway structure described above has been found to be satisfactory, it may be desirable to provide antifriction means, such as ball or roller bearings, in the trackway to facilitate sliding of the doors A.

Referring now especially to FIGURES 4 and 5, it will be noted that the first stop C is mounted upon the lower trackway 27 adjacent the front end loader and includes a housing 33. A compression spring 34 is carried within the housing and urges the plunger 36 inwardly toward the left-hand side of FIGURE 4 by bearing against a flange 37 fixed to the shaft 36. The shaft 36 projects through an opening 38 within the flange 27 and is received within an opening 39 within the container side wall 30. Thus, the shaft 36 receives support when engaged by the forward end of the door A adjacent the front end loader. It will be observed that the ends of each of the trackways are closed as at 40 to limit movement of the doors beyond the ends 31 of the container. The stop D comprises a pin which is fixed to each of the longitudinal sides 30 of the container and then adjacent flange 28.

By reference to FIGURE 1, it will be observed that the doors will be influenced by the force of gravity to remain closed. Since the doors slide rather than open on hinges, there is no chance of their fouling with the dumping mechanism. The doors remain open during insertion of trash into the container.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without deparing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a refuse container for use with a front end loader having a body, a pair of fork arms for engaging the container, and means for raising the fork arms and the container carried thereby to a position above the body and inverting the container to a dumping position; said container having a connection carried by each longitudinal side thereof for receiving said fork arms, doors in the top of said container opening downwardly by gravity when said container is in the dumping position, said container having an opening in an intermediate portion of at least one of said sides for inserting refuse therethrough into said container, and a marginal side wall portion on each side of said opening; closure means for said opening including: a pair of longitudinally movable doors closing said opening when in closed position; a trackway carrying said doors for sliding movement extending across said container; a first stop carried by said container adjacent the front end loader, movable into and out of engagement with a door adjacent thereto, for preventing sliding movement of said adjacent door to open position when in such engagement during dumping; and a second stop for engaging the other door for preventing sliding movement of said other door to open position during dumping; whereby said doors are maintained closed during dumping avoiding escape of refuse from the container and avoiding damage to the closure means.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said first stop includes a plunger carried adjacent the trackway; and resilient means normally urging said plunger into position to engage said adjacent door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,315,828 4/1967 Dubo 2l4---3O7 X HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 294-7l 

